Direct Supply received the 2019 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award Friday at the Pentagon. The award is issued by the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve. Direct Supply is one of 10 private employers in the United States to be honored this year. Five awards to public companies are also awarded.

Direct Supply supports members of the Guard and Reserve by offering benefits like paid time off for employees who are on short-term military duty, supplemental pay for employees called for long-term active military duty and medical benefits.

“We are always actively seeking to hire members of the Guard and Reserve as well as veterans at Direct Supply. Their powerful attributes of integrity, respect, excellence and results are in perfect alignment with our company’s principles and mission,” said Pamela Koehn, vice president of supply chain and executive sponsor of the Veterans in Partnership organization at Direct Supply, in the news release. The Veterans in Partnership organization is an employee volunteer group that attracts, retains and engages with members of the guard, reserve and veterans.

Direct Supply employee and Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Air Force Reserves Jason Miller nominated the company for the award.

“I love serving my country and wouldn’t have been able to do so to the best of my ability without the unwavering support of the Direct Supply family,” Miller said in the news release.

“My most recent deployment would not have been as successful — especially when it came to taking care of my family back home — without the help of my leaders and teammates at Direct Supply," he said. "Their unwavering support during my deployment meant that my family’s needs were taken care of and that I wasn’t forgotten."